COLLEGIAN
a student newspaper of the university of tulsa
november 3, 2014 issue 9 ~ volume 100
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In preparation for a new building at 6th and Columbia, TU adds properties to its $11.5 million off-campus real estate portfolio.
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It would seem that Sixth Street is in for some changes: TU, George Kaiser Family Foundation and Capital Homes have partnered to revitalize Kendall Whittier through property development. The Collegian’s real estate reporters Sara Douglas and Kyle Walker keep a tally on TU’s property purchases across the board. The corner of 6th Street and Columbia Avenue is to be the site of a University of Tulsa affiliated structure, but no timeline for construction has been made public. “Plans currently include a facility that would be designed to house classrooms and faculty offices,” according to Susan Neal, TU’s Vice President for Public Affairs. Neal connected the project to neighborhood revitalization efforts led by Kendall Whittier Task Force, Kendall Whittier Main Street and others.
A concept for the building is outlined in a document provided by the city of Tulsa entitled “6th Street Concept Plan,” dated Feb. 17, 2014. It was prepared for the George Kaiser Family Foundation and the University of Tulsa. The concept plan suggests that the building would serve residential and commercial needs, housing graduate student apartments as well as small businesses. Neal and TU’s Executive Vice President Kevan Buck are named as members of the project team that produced
Road trip! Football heads to Memphis, p. 6
TU and the OK Center for the Humanities salute WWI Centenary, p. 9
The Collegian explores happiness and dreams, p. 10 Extra Campus Crime Watch! p. 4
the document with the help of Tulsa-based developer Capital Homes. David Charney, owner of Capital Homes, emphasized that the concept plan is still in a draft stage and would take time to finalize. TU already owns plots specifically recommended for acquisition in the “6th Street Concept Plan.” The new building would replace structures currently located at 2646 and 2640 E. 6th Street and 2645 and 2641 E. 7th Street, all of which are already owned by TU.
TU purchased the 6th Street properties from real estate companies Jaris Properties and Abercrombie Real Estate. All four properties were acquired between April and June of 2014 for a total of $668,503. The “6th Street Concept Plan” identifies “sites along 6th Street between Lewis Avenue and Columbia Avenue” that are “under utilized, blighted or developed with inappropriate densities or building types” for the area. It recommends that TU and George Kaiser Family
Foundation work together to acquire these sites, demolish some existing structures and develop the land to ease access issues, improve walkability and attract investment. The university appears already to be acting upon some of these recommendations, as the school owns many of the relevant properties, including several plots from the 2400 to the 2700 block of 6th Street. TU has numerous other holdings across Tulsa County. These range from a
See Off-campus properties p. 12
Graphic by Sarah Power
the Collegian : 2
NEWS
3 November 2014
Olivia Blankenship / Collegian
An altar at Living Arts’ Día de los Muertos festival honors the dead with pictures, candles and flowers. See more p. 8.
Sudoku: a lot better than Monopoly
Ah, Sudoku, a true game of skill. Your ability to perform well on a Sudoku is based purely on your ability to reason and solve problems. Here you are not at the whims of fickle fortune. You can’t come a dollar short of buying Park Place because you just happened to land on the most expensive property your opponent has the turn before. Nope, none of that. Just pure, rational numbers. None of the irrationality of human beings who won’t give you Park Place even though you’re giving more than a fair offer—I mean everyone knows Park Place is one of the worst spots on the board, but when you have no monopolies, then by God you need something, but nnnooooooo, $500 and two other properties just isn’t enough for your opponent. I’m not bitter, Will. I’m just saying you could have taken the deal.
NEWS
3 november 2014
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Dean announced for new College of Health Sciences Nursing, pre-med, sports and exercise science, and other health science programs will now be housed in the College of Health Sciences. Apprentice Editor Sara Douglas reports on the announcement of Dr. Gerry Clancy as the dean. The College of Health Sciences at the University of Tulsa has selected a new dean in Dr. Gerry Clancy, the current president of the University of Oklahoma-Tulsa. His tenure at TU will begin on Jan. 1, 2015, when the College of Health Sciences will begin its official operations. Existing TU programs which train students in health sciences, such as nursing, physician assistants, pre-med, exercise and sports science, athletic training and communication disorders, will be brought under the umbrella of the new college’s operations. Along with strengthening TU’s relations with the Laureate Institute for Brain Research by increasing educational and research opportunities for students in the medical field, the new college will provide a gathering place and support for faculty in community medicine.
Photo courtesy University of Tulsa
In an Oct. 27 press release from the university, Clancy said that his role as dean would include “educating world-class medical experts who will put our city and our state on a new path to overall wellness.” Accomplishments made during his eight years as president at the OUTulsa Schusterman Center speak to the successes which are in store for the new College of Health Sciences at TU. Plans were announced in 2011 for TU and OU to work in conjunction on creating a four-year community medicine academic program. The George Kaiser Family Foundation donated $50 million to OU-Tulsa in 2008, which initiated alterations and improvements in its medical programs, such as $237 million in new facilities and student scholarships. “Tulsa has been on the leading edge of a health care revolution, but our work is far from done,” Clancy said in the TU press release. “We recognize the need for medical services that reach the most vulnerable among us, from small farm communities to bustling urban cores.” Under Clancy’s direction, the College of Health Sciences at TU will advocate for building a stronger community health network. TU president Dr. Steadman Upham is confident in Clancy at the helm of the new college. “TU is proud to welcome such a wellrespected member of our community and of the medical field to our campus as we embark on the bold new strategy to improve the health of underserved citizens,” he said. The College of Health Sciences is set to bring greater opportunity to students interested in health sciences while simultaneously bringing aid to the Tulsa community under Clancy’s direction beginning in January.
Sara Douglas / Collegian Modern Baseball guitarist and vocalist Jake Ewald was caught reading the Collegian in the Charlotte, N.C., airport this weekend. Ewald was surprised to receive the Oct. 13 issue, in which his interview with Apprentice Editor Sara Douglas appeared. This interview took place before their Cain’s Ballroom concert on Oct. 10. The Collegian staff was on their way back from a conference in Philadelphia when Douglas spotted Ewald in the airport during the Collegian staff’s and the touring band’s layovers.
Cappella Chamber Singers to TU ranks 97 out of 140 perform “Five Hebrew Love Songs” in Trojan report card
Dr. Gerry Clancy is the new dean of TU’s College of Health Sciences.
Morgan Krueger Features Editor
The University of Tulsa rose two places on the 2014 sexual health report card, published by Trojan. Last year TU was 99th out of 140 universities, and this year we jumped to 97th. However, TU dropped drastically from its rank of 79 in 2011
and 89 in 2012. The top spot was nabbed by Oregon State University, while Brigham Young University got dead last. Rankings depend largely on student health centers’ hours of operations, whether they allow drop-ins, quality of sexual health information and resources online, condom availability, contraceptive availability, HIV and STI testing, etc.
SA to host talent show Joseph Edmunds Student Writer
On Sunday, Nov. 9, Student Association will be hosting TU’s Got Talent. The event features acts submitted by students that made it through a review process. About ten to fifteen acts will be performed in the Great Hall of the Student Union. Many of the acts currently slated to be performed are musical acts of some sort. The one and a half hour event starts at 8 p.m., and is open to all
students. This is the first talent show hosted by SA since ACTS, or All Campus Talent Show, in February of 2012. TU's Got Talent also provides a great opportunity to show-off some of the amazing things TU students can do. In addition to student attendance, prospective students on campus for Tulsa Time will be attending the event. Prizes for the top 3 acts will also be awarded: $500 for first place, $300 for second and $100 for third.
The Cappella Chamber Singers will perform Eric Whitacre’s “Five Hebrew Love Songs” as a part of a concert this Friday. Student Writer Oscar Ho speaks with student performers about the concert. Cappella Chamber Singers will host a performance of Eric Whitacre’s “Five Hebrew Love Songs” on Friday, Nov. 7, at 7:30 p.m in the Gussman Concert Hall in Lorton Performance Center. The Cappella Chamber Singers is a choral ensemble at the University of Tulsa School of Music. Currently Composer-in-Residence at Sidney Sussex College in Cambridge, Whitacre grew up in Nevada and received a Master of Music from Juilliard. A primarily choral composer, he is known for using non-traditional harmony to evoke continually morphing ethereal imagery. His early compositions were well received. He soon became famous worldwide through collaborations which include the London Symphony Orchestra, The King’s Singers and Hans Zimmer, among others. Whitacre is also known for his virtual choirs, one of which has more than 4.5 million views on YouTube. “Five Hebrew Love Songs” was inspired by one of Whitacre’s fel-
low musicians. Asked to write several short songs for violin, piano and soprano, Whitacre wrote the music and soprano Hila Plitmann wrote the text while on vacation. It was performed a week later. “These songs are profoundly personal for me, born entirely out of my new love for this soprano, poet, and now my beautiful wife,
Soprano Emma Cantrell agrees. Referring to the unique sensitivity of the soprano line, she said, “They are chilling and this piece is truly beautiful.” “Five Hebrew Love Songs” is one of several works on Friday’s program. Pieces by Dello Joio, Stanford, Hogan, and others will also be performed. “I am excited
Hila Plitmann,” he wrote in the work’s description. A commission from the University of Miami resulted in a version of “Five Hebrew Love Songs” for soprano, alto, tenor and bass (SATB) choir and string quartet. The version that will be performed on Friday will be for SATB choir, piano and violin. The violin solo will be performed by Kiersten Morales, concertmaster of the TU Symphony Orchestra. “All [five love songs] are gorgeous with a lot of emotion behind them, and I’m looking forward to seeing how the audience reacts,” Soprano Vocal-Performance Major Abby Raiford said “The harmonies are not totally conventional, but they’re charged with feeling and they tug at the heart strings.”
to perform ‘I Can Tell the World’ by Moses Hogan.” Cantrell said. “It is an exciting and refreshing spiritual and I feel really connected to the choir while performing it. It gets everyone’s energy flowing.” However, there are times when the singers might wish for extra energy. Stanford’s “The Blue Bird,” said Cantrell, requires “tons of oxygen and breath support.” Despite the difficulties, it is a moving piece, she said, and is looking forward to its performance. Dello Joio’s “A Jubilant Song” was a challenge for Raiford. “The melody and vocal harmonies are difficult to nail down, and the piano part is insane,” she observed. “But it’s been worth it!”
“I feel really connected to the choir while performing it. It gets everyone’s energy flowing”
Academic bowl team to compete at Washington University TU’s academic bowl team will compete in a tournament against 17 other schools. Topics will span a variety of academic subjects. Student Writer Wade Crawford reports. The TU academic bowl team goes to their first tournament of the fall this week, as they travel to Washington University to participate in the Midwest region of the Academic Competition Federation (ACF) Fall tournament on Nov. 8. The Fall tournament is the ACF introductory-level tournament. It is the premier event of its type. Eighteen teams from various universities are attending the
Midwest tournament, including the University of Missouri, Northwestern University, Kansas State University and Purdue University. In addition to this being the first tournament of the academic year, this will be the first tournament for this year’s Tulsa team, as no current team members attended any competitions last year. Eleven members of the sixteen-member team will be attending, represent-
ing two separate teams. The tournament is comprised of a competition in knowledge of a wide variety of subjects, including chemistry, biology, history, literature, art, music and current events. Topics range widely, from the Dead Sea Scrolls to Gaul to the Calvin Cycle. Normal tournament questions, or “tossup questions,” are answered by participants by buzzing in within a five-second
window of the question’s reading. A correct response grants a bonus question for the entire team to discuss and answer. A round consists of twenty tossup questions and any resulting bonus questions, followed by a sudden-death round in the event of a tie. The Academic Competition Federation is a non-profit organization that is completely studentand volunteer-run. The ACF hosts
both ACF Fall and ACF Regionals (held in February) throughout the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. These two tournaments culminate into the ACF Nationals, held in April. The Academic Bowl team is led by sophomore president Brennen VanderVeen and sophomore vice president Tara Grigson. Meetings are every Wednesday at 7 p.m. in Chapman Hall Room 256.
NEWS
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3 November 2014
them. Neither party wished to press charges against the other. No injuries were reported. Oct. 21 2:30 a.m. A faculty member reported receiving harassing voicemails on the times/dates listed at their John Rogers Hall office accusing them of inappropriate behavior. The investigation is pending. 12:00 p.m. A student reported their spare tire was stolen from their parked vehicle in the Keplinger/ Rogers Lot during the times/dates listed. The investigation is pending. Oct. 25 Graphic by Elias Brinkman
Oct. 16 12:23 p.m. Officers investigated a report of a male student threatening a female student with a knife over their relationship. Officers confiscated the student’s collection of knives from their room in John Mabee Hall. The victim declined to press charges at this time. No injuries were reported. 10:23 p.m. Officers responded to a verbal altercation at a Norman Village apartment. Officers were able to intervene and peacefully end the situation. Oct. 17 9:23 a.m. Officers are investigating the disappearance of a bar stool from John Mabee Hall on Oc-
tober, 1 2014. Officers are trying to identify the suspect based on video footage. Oct. 18 12:25 a.m. A passenger, a University alumnus, accidentally broke a window on a University shuttle while in transit back to the campus from Oktoberfest. No injuries were reported. Upon returning to campus, the intoxicated passenger became irate and aggressive towards Officers as they attempted to gather information from him. Officers were able to control the situation without further incident. Oct. 19 1:40 a.m. An Officer on patrol observed a physical altercation between 2 students. Officers were able to separate the students and identify
3:20 p.m. Officers and Tulsa Fire responded to a fire alarm at the Delta Delta Delta sorority. Upon arrival, Officers determined burnt popcorn activated a smoke detector. No injuries or damages were reported. 3:30 p.m. Officers responded to an ill person at Chapman Stadium. The person suffered a heat related illness while attending the Marching Band Competition. The person was placed in a cool place to recover. The person declined further medical treatment. 4:45 p.m. Officers and EMSA responded to an ill person at Chapman Stadium. The person suffered a heat related illness while attending the Marching Band Competition. Paramedics transported the person to a local hospital for further treatment.
8:05 p.m. Officers and EMSA responded to an ill person at Chapman Stadium. The person suffered an asthma attack while attending the Marching Band Competition. The person was treated at the scene by paramedics. 8:35 p.m. An Officer responding to a noise complaint at the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity observed a student consuming alcohol outside of the fraternity. When the Officer approached, the student threw down the alcohol and denied having ID. The Officer was able to properly identify the student as not being of legal age to consume alcohol. 10:10 p.m. Officers responded to an ill student at Chapman Stadium. The student suffered an asthma after performing at the Marching Band Competition. The student was treated at the scene by paramedics. Oct. 27 3:35 p.m. Officers confiscated a pellet rifle from a Norman Village apartment at the request of Housing officials. The pellet rifle was impounded at Campus Security for safekeeping. Oct. 28 9:20 a.m. Officers impounded a television mistakenly left by a delivery company at the Student Union on 17 October 2014. Student Union employees contacted the company on several occasions to retrieve the television, to no avail. Officers contacted the company who retrieved the television on 28 October 2014.
Eye on the world:
Nikki Hager News Editor
Bombing at the Pakistan/India border Jundullah, a militant group linked to the Taliban and al Qaeda, claimed a suicide bombing attack at the Wagah India-Pakistan border-crossing. At least 50 people were killed and over 70 were injured in the blast. Large crowds of people gather every day to watch a flag-lowering ceremony as the
border closes, making it a high-profile target. It is the only road crossing between the two countries. Jundullah said it carried out the attack in response to an operation by the Pakistani government to eliminate the group in the North Waziristan tribal area.
Coup in Burkina Faso
Adrienne Bertsche / Collegian
Collegian seeks liberty at ACP conference Collegian staff traveled to Philadelphia for the Associated Collegiate Press / College Media Association National College Media Convention last week. From left to right: Satire Editor Fraser Kastner, Staff Writer Caitlin Woods, News Editor Nikki Hager, Features Editor Morgan Krueger, Editor-in-Chief Kyle Walker and Apprentice Editor Sara Douglas. The convention featured a variety of workshops, speakers and critiques.
Dictator Blaise Compaore resigned on Friday following widespread protests. The protests erupted Thursday when parliament was to vote on a plan to change the constitution allowing Compaore to seek reelection next year, extending his 27-year rule. Compaore seized power in a coup himself. For the majority of his reign, opposition was minimal, elections were riddled with
patronage and institutions were weak. Despite vast gold resources, the country is one of the poorest in Africa. The country’s military declared Lt. Col. Isaac Zida head of state on Saturday. Prior to that announcement, three military leaders declared themselves in charge within the first 24 hours of the coup.
Presidential elections in Brazil Incumbent President Dilma Rousseff of the Worker’s Party won the Oct. 26 runoff elections. The race was close between Rousseff and Aécio Neves of the center right Brazilian Social Democratic Party. Despite losing, Neves was ahead in the polls for the majority of October. Both Rousseff’s and Neves’s campaigns were negative and aggressive, accusing each other of corruption. The election comes at a time of a growing divide within the Brazilian populace. Neves
represented a market-oriented approach, calling for economic openness, tax reductions and a relatively smaller state role. He also called for a stronger relationship with Western powers including the United States and EU. In contrast, Rousseff favors a mixed economy, emphasizing the role of the state in economic growth and an active role for public banks. Financial markets and other economic indicators reacted negatively to Rousseff’s victory.
Donetsk and Luhansk declare independence in Ukraine
Morgan Krueger / Collegian
Did Mary Poppins get a DUI? Did ET get lost on his way home? You tell us! Make up the best and most creative story about how this bike got stuck in a tree. We will put the best one in next week’s Collegian. The winner will receive a $15 giftcard to Quiktrip.
Two regions, Donetsk and Luhansk, have declared themselves people’s republics and will hold parliamentary and presidential elections. The United States and EU will not recognize the elections but Russia backs the move. Both Donetsk and Luhansk fell to separatists after months of fighting in Eastern Ukraine. Their rebel leaders state that as
The Collegian is the independent student newspaper of the University of Tulsa. It is distributed Mondays during the fall and spring semesters except during holidays and final exam weeks. The University of Tulsa does not discriminate on the basis of personal status or group characteristics including but not limited to the classes protected under federal and state law in its programs, services, aids, or benefits. Inquiries regarding implementation of this policy may be addressed to the Office of Human Resources, 800 South Tucker Drive, Tulsa, Oklahoma 74104-9700, 918-631-2616. Requests for accommodation of disabilities may be addressed to the University’s 504 Coordinator, Dr. Tawny Taylor, 918-631-3814. To ensure availability of an interpreter, five to seven days notice is needed; 48 hours is recommended for all other accommodations. Advertising Policy: Advertising appearing in this publication does not imply approval or endorsement by the University of Tulsa or The Collegian for the products or services advertised. For advertising information, email The Collegian at collegian@utulsa.edu or jesse-keipp@utulsa.edu. The deadline for advertising is 12 p.m. on the Friday prior to the publication. Editing Policy: The Collegian reserves the right to edit all copy submitted by all writers. This editing may take place in many forms, including grammar corrections, changes in paragraph structure or even the addition or removal of sections of content. Editorial Policy: Columnists are solely responsible for the content of their columns. Opinions expressed in columns may not represent the opinions of the entire Collegian staff, the administrative policies of the University of Tulsa, the views of the student body or our advertisers. Letter Policy: Letters to the editor must be less than 500 words. While we do not require it, letters sent via e-mail to the Collegian are encouraged. Under no circumstances will anonymous letters be published. The name of the person submitting the letter must be published with the letter. We reserve the right to edit or reject all letters. The deadline for letters is 5 p.m. on the Saturday prior to publication.
independent states, they are not subject to Ukrainian law and did not participate in national elections. “These elections are important because they will give legitimacy to our power and give us more distance from Kiev,” a rebel leader in the Donetsk region told the AFP news agency.
editor-in-chief—Kyle Walker managing editor—Conor Fellin news editor—Nikki Hager sports editor—Matt Rechtien variety editor—Abigail LaBounty commentary & barricade editor—Giselle Willis satire editor—Fraser Kastner apprentice editor—Sara Douglas photo & graphics editor—Sarah Power feature & layout editor—Morgan Krueger copy editor—Will Boogert, Amanda Hagedorn business & advertising manager—Jesse Keipp distribution manager—Witt Womack, Katie Hill web manager—Sam Chott
3 November 2014
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The Collegian took six of its staff to a conference in the City of Brotherly Love and came back with some ideas! We’re looking for beat reporters, people dedicated to regularly covering a specific topic. We are also seeking photographers or graphic artists to capture both news and daily life at TU and around Tulsa. If you are interested in either of these SALARIED positions, come to our meetings Mondays at 5 p.m. in Oliphant 110. Or send an e-mail to Editor-in-Chief Kyle Walker (kylewalker@utulsa.edu) or Managing Editor Conor Fellin (conor-fellin@utulsa.edu).
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Sports
Women’s basketball preview plus an exhibition recap Hurricane
Basketball Writer Wade Crawford previews the Golden Hurricane’s upcoming basketball season.
In its first year in the new American Athletic Conference, the Tulsa women’s basketball team looks to make an impact. The Tulsa women’s basketball team looks forward to a successful 2014 season, with hopes of success in the conference tournament culminating in a trip to Tampa Bay, Florida for the 2015 NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship. Tulsa is in a good spot, as ten letterwin-
letterwinners lost, only one (Erica Lane) was a starter the previous year. Returning players include four of the team’s top scorers, which will likely help the team improve on their 69.5 points per game from 2013 (fifth in Conference USA). These scorers include junior guard Ashley Clark (14.6 PPG, 6.4 RPG), junior guard Kelsee Grovey (12.5 PPG, 2.4 RPG), and senior forward Mariah Turner (10.8 PPG, 5.4 RPG). With a new conference comes tougher competition. The women’s squad moves from Conference USA to the American Athletic Conference, favored by a University
Greg Diskin / Collegian
The Golden Hurricane women’s basketball team watches the action taking place on the court during Saturday afternoon’s exhibition game against Rogers State University, which TU won by the score of 81–44. They look to keep up the pace on Thursday.
ners are returning for the team, including four of last year’s five starters. Out of four
of Connecticut team that went undefeated (40–0) in 2013–14.
As a whole, however, the new conference is a bit weaker. After Connecticut, the conference as a whole only holds a .534 winning percentage. Additionally, last year’s scoring totals would have been good for third in the American Athletic. The non-conference schedule for Tulsa is very reasonable, including home games against #23 Arkansas and Saint Louis University (12–18 in 2013). Several games are rematches of TU wins in 2013, including games against Lamar, Oral Roberts and Valparaiso. The team also spends their post-Thanksgiving weekend in Coral Gables, Florida at the Miami Thanksgiving Tournament, facing Buffalo and Miami or Illinois State if they advance. The women’s basketball team had a 12– 16 record in 2013, and looks to go nowhere but up. Head coach Matilda Mossman enters her fourth year with the loss of only one starter. The team should be set for a very successful 2014. The women’s basketball team played their first of two exhibition matches on Saturday cruising to an easy victory against Rogers State University, winning by a margin of 81–44. Ten of the eleven players on the roster scored during the game with junior Ashley Clark leading the scoring with 17 points on the match. The women shot 51 percent from the
Soccer clinches 2nd seed, beats Knights
Tulsa finishes its first regular season as a member of the American Athletic Conference, playing its final game on Saturday. Sports Writer Joseph Edmunds reports.
On Saturday night, the Golden Hurricane men’s soccer team played out a 1–1 draw against the University of Central Florida in their final game of the regular season. The opening fifteen minutes consisted of the two teams battling to gain control of possession. Then, TU forward Akeil Barrett played a ball through the Knights defense that Ray Saari ran onto and slotted into the bottom left corner for a breakaway goal, giving the Golden Hurricane a 1–0 lead. For the rest of the half, Tulsa held the advantage in time of possession, but was unable to break through and increase their lead. The teams went into the locker room with the score still 1–0. The Golden Hurricane defense kept the Central Florida Knights from taking any shots on goal in the first half. The second half started similarly to the first half, with the teams trying to assert themselves. However, TU was unable to gain eventual control as they had in the first half, and that led to a Walker Dawkins
equalizing goal 25 minutes into the second half. He received a pass from a teammate, and took a shot from outside the box on the right side of the field. His strong shot soared past TU goalkeeper Jake McGuire into the top right corner of the goal. The goal came on the first shot on goal of the game for UCF. Tulsa responded strongly, creating plenty of chances to retake the lead in the final 20 minutes of the game, but was unable to convert any of their opportunities. In the two periods of sudden-death overtime, each team had a shot scream past the post within the first five minutes, and then the game returned to the back-and-forth play that had defined much of regulation play. With a minute left, the Knights made one last push, and the Golden Hurricane caught a break as a Knight’s shot from point blank bounced off of the post and out-of-bounds. Tulsa finished with a 9–5–2 record (5–2– 1 American Athletic Conference), good for second best in the conference. UCF ended with a 2–9–5 record (1–3–4 AAC). By finishing in second place, Tulsa earned the right to host their first round game in the American Athletic Conference tournament. The game is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 8, at 7:00 p.m. against the seventh seeded Bearcats of Cincinnati.
Greg Diskin / Collegian
Junior guard Jasmine Vasquez and senior foward Mariah Turner take a minute to assess the court during a pause in play against Rogers State University on Saturday.
field and 39 percent from the three-point arc. They out rebounded Rogers State 41 to 32 and in a very revealing state forced 21 turnovers while only committing turnovers seven times. The game was never very close, except for the very beginning when Rogers scored the first two points to take the lead. Tulsa then went on a 17–0 run and kept their double-digit lead for the rest of the game. They women will look to keep up the pressure when they continue their exhibition season with a match on Thursday against Southern Nazarene University. Before opening up the regular season at the Reynolds Center against Northern Iowa on Friday, Nov. 14.
3 November 2014
sweeps through American, takes cross-country Sports Editor Matt Rechtien reports on the winning ways of Tulsa’s cross-country squads.
In their first year in the new American Athletic Conference, the Tulsa men’s and women’s cross-country teams acted like nothing had changed from their Conference USA days, winning their first American Athletic Conference championship, most likely the first of many to come in both cross-country and other sports. Every woman who was scored finished between fifth and 11th, in a span of 34 seconds. The scorers were led by senior Brandi Krieg who finished with a time of 21:02, which was good enough for fifth place on the day. Sophomore Clara Langley was right on her heels finishing in sixth with a time of 21:03. To round out the Tulsa scorers, sophomore Stacie Taylor finished eighth, senior Natasha Cockram finished in 10th, and sophomore Olivia Lopez finished 11th. This put the total score for the Hurricane at 40, 27 points better than second place Connecticut. On the men’s side (which was won by a wider margin of 50 seconds) junior Marc Scott won the individual title with a time of 24:43, followed by senior teammates Tim Rackers (24:49) and Danny Thater (24:50) who got second and third respectively. The other two men’s scorers had top-10 finishes as well; senior Dennis Hodapp finished in sixth, and redshirt freshman Elijah Silva placed ninth. Tulsa nearly had every runner receive All-American Athletic Conference honors, which are given to every runner that places in the top-15 for either race. On the women’s side all seven racers, the five scorers and two freshman—Anna Bearss and Nicole Lee—received the honors. Six of the seven racers on the men’s side received honors—all the scorers (listed above) and redshirt freshman Adam Roderique who placed 14th on the race. The students weren’t the only ones honored at this race, as the Tulsa coaching staff, led by head coach Steve Gulley, was named the Coaching Staff of Year in both the men and women’s categories. This was the fifth straight conference championship for the men and the second straight conference championship for the women, with no signs of slowing down. Many of the runners on both teams still have two or more years left of competition, where they will look to continue the excellence that the Golden Hurricane have been showing. The season doesn’t end with this championship, though. There are still the NCAA midwest regionals on Nov. 14th in Peoria, Ill., and the NCAA championships in Terre Haute, Ind. after that.
Road trip! The story of one sports editor who booked it to Memphis to watch some football
Sports Editor Matt Rechtien traveled to Memphis to see the Golden Hurricane play in a road game. He writes here a tale of the trip focusing on the game. For the travel log of the trip, please see the Bleacher Creature on the opposite page.
Last week Bleacher Creature Jesse Keipp and I decided on a whim that we wanted to see Hurricane football play on the road, because it’s an aspect of college football that we had never experienced before. All the big state schools’ fans travel in packs for their games, and we wanted to try it out with our Tulsa pride. We bought our tickets, which was really difficult because Memphis is really bad at saying which seats are considered the visitors’ section, so we just bought them and hoped we would be by other TU fans. Come Friday Jesse and I jumped in the car and started our long journey… to the bookstore where we bought some new swag for the game because it was supposed to be really cold at the Liberty Bowl (I bought an awesome hat, see the picture). We hit the road for real after this detour, driving a total of six hours across Oklahoma and Arkansas until we finally arrived in Memphis, grabbed some barbecue on Beale street, met up with Will—the old Collegian sports editor—and headed to the Liberty Bowl for the game. Once we got inside the stadium we were surrounded by a sea of Tiger fans—which was a different experience for me because the only road game I had ever traveled for before this was a St. Louis Cardinals game. Once we found our seats, which were actually pretty close to the Tulsa section, the first thing people said to us was: “You guys don’t belong here,” which was said so seriously that in the already cold 35 degree
Matt Rechtien / Collegian
Pictured here is my new hat. It has that little fluffy thing at the top and the TU emblem embroidered in gold. It’s really comfortable to wear and is super warm, so it’s awesome for cold games ... (Is it obvious that I forgot to bring the camera to Memphis?)
weather I froze a little bit. After that scare, which turned out to be nothing because they were actually really nice fans, the game started and just like the Homecoming game it was exciting at the start. Tulsa scored the first points of the game on a Demarco Nelson fumble recovery for a touchdown. We were so excited after that, and when Dane Evans hit Derek Patterson for a touchdown five minutes later to put the Hurricane up 14–3 we thought we had a chance for the upset. Unfortunately our second touchdown merely served as a wake-up call for Mem-
phis who started moving the ball well against us as well as taking advantage of stupid penalties that we continued to commit. They scored a rushing touchdown and then did something we could not do to save our life during this game: kicking. Their kicker could hit field goals from over fifty yards, really good at the college level. With mere seconds in the half, Memphis went off for a 51-yard run to take the lead 20–14 into halftime, leaving us in the cold without the warm embrace of a lead to get us through halftime. The third quarter was one of the worst
quarters of college football we’d ever seen with both Tulsa and Memphis punting a total of ten times in the quarter. It took around 50 minutes to finish a 15 minute quarter. By the end of the quarter I could no longer take notes on my phone and was reduced to voice recording because my fingers were so numb. The fourth quarter was completely different, with only one punt and three touchdowns. The Tigers scored on a Brandon Hayes long run straight up the middle to go up 33–14. Tulsa finally was able to get the ball moving again with an 88-yard touchdown drive capped off by a 1-yard pass from Dane Evans to Keyarris Garrett. We thought it might be time for a comeback, but the ensuing onside kick went directly to Memphis who scored another time to go up 40–20, which was the final score. Even with a big loss, Dane Evans passed for over 300 yards and threw two touchdowns—good numbers for a quarterback at any level. Wide-reciever Keevan Lucas also put up another 100-yard plus game, his fourth straight, and fifth total game with that total on the year. For the second time in as many games, Tulsa took the lead and gave me hope that we just might pull off the win. Once again, however, the offense stalled and Memphis took advantage, putting up 33 points to seal the deal. This loss put our record at 1–7, eliminating us from bowl contention for the second straight year which makes makes me think that Bill’s days might be numbered. Even though we lost and it was disappointing to drive six hours both there and back to see a loss, the trip was still a blast. Being in college and traveling for a football game is just one of the coolest things you can do as a football fan. Maybe not this year, but someday I hope that everybody gets the chance to see Tulsa play on the road.
3 November 2014
Jesse Keipp is…
Despite this season’s struggles, the Bleacher Creature and Sports Editor Matt Rechtien traveled to Memphis to watch the Golden Hurricane take on the Memphis Tigers on Halloween night. The events that unraveled that night in Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium proved terrifying indeed. Read the following travel log with a cozy blanket, a warm fire and a strong stomach. Day 1: Friday, Oct. 31 9:58 a.m. – We meet outside the Collegian office after printing off the tickets for tonight’s gladiatorial battle. The crisp, cool air permeates my nasal cavities with wafts of football. All the way from Memphis, she calls. 10:09 a.m. – After filling up on gas at QT, the “Free Air” signed beckons us to further inflate the Mazda 3’s tires. I wish I knew how to inflate tires. I’m sure I could figure it out eventually, but the car behind me grows increasingly impatient. Poor lady probably has some job to go to. Real life seems scary. And so it goes. 10:24 a.m. – I purchase a sweatshirt from the brand-new bookstore for Sports Editor Emeritus Will Bramlett who’s coming from St. Louis to meet us in Memphis. I note that the new bookstore isn’t half bad. Note from Matt: I bought a really cool hat there too! 10:25 a.m. – We begin our 405-mile trek to Memphis on Highway 51, toward the suburbia known to locals as Broken Arrow. The countryside can’t come soon enough as Highway 351 carries us into Native American country. 10:49 a.m. – Matt states his compelling case for highways that move like the fancy sidewalks in airports. (Patent pending.) Note from Matt: You’ll see. It will be so much more convenient. 10:53 a.m. – The asphalt has gained sentience, demanding a fiscal sacrifice of $1.50 for passage. Matt informs me this is called a toll booth. I don’t believe him, as the asphalt must be controlling his thoughts. 12:35 p.m. – Note from Matt: We stop for some grub at the finest dining establishment on Interstate 40—Wendy’s. We eat some delicious burgers with the people who call north-central Arkansas home. 4:07 p.m. – While Bohemian Rhapsody blasts over the car’s speakers, Matt complements my high notes with his low notes. Eventually, angels join us in chorus, bringing tears to our eyes. Like Mufasa in The Lion King, Glenn Dobbs smiles down upon us. Thank you, football gods. 4:42 p.m. – We arrive in Memphis, whose skyline includes an ominous pyramid. But most importantly, our skyscraper is taller than theirs. 4:53 p.m. – As we draw near the house, which Will rented through Airbnb, barbed wire fences surround the local businesses. The white suburbanite in me begins to doubt Will’s judgment. 4:55 p.m. – Upon arrival, Will walks us through the gate to the quaint guest house in the backyard. The former stable has a rustic feel and is tastefully decorated by its owner, an adjunct art professor at the University of Memphis. 5:11 p.m. – We drive to the world-famous Beale Street in downtown Memphis for some Memphis-style barbecue. Walking into B.B. King’s, a musician serenades us with his blues guitar and voice of silk. 6:38 p.m. – Satiated with delicious ribs, we hurriedly walk from the house to Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium. 6:56 p.m. – Lights illuminate the walls of the pringle-shaped stadium in Tiger Blue. Entering the stadium, we bravely walk to our seats, surrounded by Memphis fans. 7:01 p.m. – An already intoxicated Tigers fan enjoys the opportunity to harass us. With his drunken reasoning, he deduces that calling Carl Salazar “homo” for his pink cleats somehow contributes to Memphis’s success. 10:47 p.m. – After nearly four hours, the contest ended after the Golden Hurricane imploded all too familiarly. Unfortunately, I cannot recall the game’s specifics. The inevitable tears would short circuit my laptop’s keyboard. Note from Matt: Check my article for specifics. 11:02 p.m. – Down the street from the house, costumed millennials line outside a former church, waiting to enter a bassblasting party. After careful consideration, we decide to not attend the rave despite our convincing TU fan costumes. Day 2: Saturday, Nov. 1 9:45 a.m. – Following my nightly dreams of Tulsa in the College Football Playoff, I ready for the road with the breakfast of champions: S’mores Pop-Tarts. 10:33 a.m. – All too soon, we depart from Blues City, regrettably not being able to visit Graceland or the alleged grave of The King. 12:37 a.m. – After pulling off the highway in North Little Rock, we arrive at a
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Exclusive interview with Rashad Ray
Last week Sports Editor Matt Rechtien was able to sit down with junior guard Rashad Ray and talk about the upcoming basketball season. Matt Rechtien: How do you feel transitioning to a whole new system after two years, halfway through your college career switching to a new coach? Rashad Ray: It’s pretty hard, different, but you gotta come in from the summer and put in the work and learn the plays and learn what coach wants. It’s been a tough road but we seem to be pulling it together. MR: Are you guys seeing progress in the new system now? RR: Yeah, definitely. MR: A lot of students were upset last year after Danny Manning left (for Wake Forest). What about you? Did you have any thoughts about maybe leaving Tulsa? RR: I didn’t really know what to do, I was just shocked at the time. I just stuck with it and my teammates really helped me out, we came closer as a family and we decided to stay together. We got a great coach here with us. MR: How do you feel now that Tulsa has 10 juniors, now that you are on top of the team? RR: It feels good, you know, coming in as a freshman and not really knowing what was going on, and now we know what to ex-
pect. The experience is going to help us out. I’m pretty glad about the ten juniors that we have. MR: How do you feel about the new conference? RR: I think it’s going to be great, you know, we’re playing in there with Cincinnati, UConn, Temple, SMU, Memphis. I really think our out of conference schedule is going to really get us prepared for it. MR: Last year you guys found a lot of success winning a share of the conference title and winning the tournament, how confident do you feel about this year? RR: Just hungry, we’re just ready to see what it’s going to be like. I mean we’re not going in to lose, but we’re going to play some tough games. We’re going to play hard and play fast just how we want to play. Just waiting to see what happens. MR: Do you guys see yourselves playing in March Madness again this year? RR: Oh yeah, most definitely. That’s how it goes, to get back in the NCAA tournament. MR: Last question here, how important is the crowd and student section to you guys when you play? RR: They’re very into it, I love our crowd and our student section, it’s great, I love them. I love everybody that comes out and supports TU. I think it’s a great environment
Matt Rechtien / Collegian
Junior starting guard Rashad Ray answers questions during media days a couple weeks ago.
during our games, they help us out a lot to win games in (the Reynolds Center). Let’s hope we never lose them.
Golden ‘cane Calendar nov. 3–9, 2014 Thursday, Nov. 6: Women’s Basketball vs. Southern Nazarene; Reynolds Center, 7:00 p.m. Men’s Tennis @ ITA National Indoor Championship; New York, NY Friday, Nov. 7: Women’s Volleyball vs. Cincinnati; Reynolds Center, 7:00 p.m.
Men’s Tennis @ ITA National Indoor Championship; New York, NY
Saturday, Nov. 8: Football vs SMU; H.A. Chapman Stadium, 11:00 a.m. Men’s Basketball vs. Southwestern Oklahoma State; Reynolds Center, 4:00 p.m.
Men’s Soccer vs. Cincinnati AAC Championships, 7:00 p.m Men’s Tennis @ ITA National Indoor Championship; New York, NY
Sunday, Nov. 9: Women’s Volleyball vs. Memphis; Reynolds Center, 7:00 p.m. Men’s Tennis @ ITA National Indoor Championship; New York, NY
Basketball scrimmage shows promise Our resident fan of TU basketball (and especially Rashad Ray) Pat Fox recaps the recent basketball scrimmage to shed some more light on the quickly approaching Hurricane basketball season. There are three things I love in this world. The first is the show “Cops”. If you don’t like “Cops” then you should really reevaluate your life because something is wrong with you. What I’m trying to say is that “Cops” is timeless. I always thought they should have made a Canadian version of “Cops” called “Mounties”. I imagine Canadian crime would be very entertaining. I assume that most Canadian crimes involve moose. I have nothing to back this up, but I think I’m right. The second thing I love is “Starship Troopers.” It is easily the greatest movie of all time and Johnny Rico is a God. If any woman is foolish enough to marry me and I reproduce, my first child will be named Johnny Rico Fox no matter the gender. Finally the third thing I love is TU basketball. It is the best, and it confuses me that no one goes to their games. Basketball games are awesome and much better than football games. The TU basketball team had a scrimmage last Saturday, and it was very revealing of how this upcoming season will play out. The blue team led by Rashad Ray, Rashad Smith, Marquel Curtis and Steve “The Pirate” Repichowski destroyed the black team led by Shaq Harrison, James Woodard and Deandre Wright. Rashad Ray, or Ray Ray as I like to call him, looked like the best player on the court. He was raining three after three famous local fried chicken joint called Popeye’s. Standing behind the corner, authentic Southerners wear welcoming smiles and heed our demands for spicy, white-meat chicken. The masterpiece, humbly served in a plastic basket, graces my taste buds with instant euphoria. If you ever find yourself in Arkansas, detour to North Little Rock for this mouth-watering hole in the wall. Five stars. 5:07 a.m. – Back on campus, I happily conclude that the roughly thirteen hours on the road was well worth supporting the Golden Hurricane, despite the loss. Even when TU football isn’t at its best, few weekends can beat one spent cheering on the Golden Hurricane, especially on the road. Notably, nearly one hundred other TU fans made the trip to support the squad. Students looking for a fun weekend can easily increase that number. While the rest of this year’s football schedule doesn’t easily lend itself to travel, men’s basketball has several contests within driving distance. Those afraid of travelling too far can wet their feet with the matchup against Oral Roberts in south Tulsa on Nov. 15. No one will mistake Wichita for Memphis, but men’s basketball squares off against Wichita State on Nov. 29.
and getting to the hoop at ease. Marquel Curtis who missed almost all of last year with an injury got to the rim with ease for most of the game, but much like a man who drinks a lot of whiskey he had trouble finishing. If he can start finishing better he could lead the team in scoring. Rashad Smith has completely changed up his game. He no longer resides in the post
seems like they will play in transition more under Haith, which will help Ray Ray the most as he is TU’s fastest player. The player who could lose some playing time is Shaq Harrison. Despite being a starter these past two years, Curtis and Ray could take some of his minutes if they continue to outplay him. TU’s biggest weakness this year is size.
“Frank Haith will have a lot of tough decisions on who to play this upcoming season as TU is very deep at the guard position (but) Haith has slim pickings when it comes to big men” like he did last year, but it looks like he will spend most of his time on the perimeter. He showed his new and improved jump shot in the scrimmage as he made 3 three-pointers. Smith is a very good athlete and if his jump shot continues to improve he has a real shot to make it to the NBA. Finally there is Steve the Pirate. He looked to improve the most over the offseason. He grew two inches and put on some muscle. TU has a loaded backcourt, but it will be hard to keep him on the bench with the shot he possesses. Repichowski is clearly TU’s best shooter and has improved the rest of his offensive game too. Frank Haith will have a lot of tough decisions on who to play this upcoming season as TU is very deep, especially at the guard position. One thing is clear with an abundance of guards—TU wants to play fast, which is good. TU played very slow under Manning and had trouble scoring points last year. It
Frank Haith has slim pickings when it comes to big men. Wright is a very good forward who has shown flashes of brilliance, but continues to be inconsistent. The other option would be Brandon Swannegan who could see a lot of playing time this year. He is not a threat to score, but he is a very good rebounder and an elite shot blocker. TU will need all the help they can get on the boards this year. Their lack of size showed when we played UCLA last year in the tournament. James Woodard was chosen to the preseason all-AAC team this week. Woodard was underwhelming in the scrimmage, but he is still TU’s best player and the quicker playing style will certainly help him. My prediction for TU this year is that they will finish third in the AAC behind SMU and Memphis and be a five seed in the tournament. Ray Ray will be an All-American and we will win the national championship.
Abbreviated Hurricane Recap Men’s Soccer Honors Junior Bradley Bourgeois and sophomore Jake McGuire were named the American Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Week and Goalkeeper of the Week respectively. McGuire gave up only 1 goal in 192+ minutes of soccer. Abe Matamoros and Quinn Starker were named to the Capital One CoSIDA (College Sports Information Directors of America) Academic All-District VII team for maintaining academic excellence as well as excellence on the field of play. Women’s Soccer Honors Freshman Christina Holmes was named the American Athletic Conference Women’s Soccer Rookie of the Week for her three goals against SMU and Houston. Junior Katy Riojas was named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District VII second team for her academic and soccer excellence. Women Fall to Huskies The Golden Hurricane women’s soccer team fell to the University of Connecticut Huskies by a score of 1–0 in the quarter-
final round of the American Athletic Conference tournament on Sunday afternoon. The conditions were rough as winds were blowing with speeds between 20–25 miles per hour, even taking out the electricity of the stadium. With this loss the season comes to a close for the women who had a strong season. Volleyball Back to its Winning Ways The volleyball team traveled to Houston this past Friday looking to avenge their most recent loss to Temple. They beat Houston in four sets completing the season sweep. Senior Valerie El Houssine recorded her 11th double-double of the season, and Bailey Clampitt recorded 46 assists, her tenth 40-plus assist match of the season. They followed up this win with a 3-set sweep of Tulane on Sunday. Brook Berryhill ended the day with a match-high 18 digs, Erica Bohannan had 10 kills on the day and senior Carly Boatwright made her first appearance on season, playing all three sets notching two blocks and a dig in her debut. This puts the Hurricane’s overall record at 15–8 with a record of 7–5 in AAC.
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3 November 2014
Festival celebrates lives of the dead Student Writer Olivia Blankenship attended the Tulsa Día de Los Muertos festival and enjoys the beauty of a community celebrating their lost loved ones.
Día de Los Muertos, The Day of the Dead, is the Mexican holiday that commemorates the dead. Though it is the day of the dead, it is one of the most lively and colorful festivals that this reporter has ever been to. On Saturday afternoon, I made my way down to the Brady Arts District to attend the Mexican tradition of celebrating the lives of those who have passed. Upon entering the Living Arts District, where the event took place, I immediately noticed the colorful shrines created for those who had passed, each tailored uniquely to the individual. Traditionally, families in Mexico go to the cemetery where their relatives are buried and set up altars on their graves, with pictures of the deceased and all of their favorite foods and items. Also included was an “open shrine” for anyone to come and add an item for their loved ones, which I thought was beautiful, adding to the community of the event and the extremely personal and creative aspect. As I walked outside, the scent of tacos, churros and other Mexican foods filled the air. A lively Mariachi band played for an enthused audience. Among the several activities going on outside, there was face painting, dancing, the paint-
ing of sugar skulls and side-walk chalk, attracting people of all ages. Vendors lined the sidewalk, selling their handmade crafts, and food trucks lined the streets, providing all sorts of goodies. If you have never been to Día de Los Muertos in Tulsa, make sure to find your way downtown next year for the much loved traditions.
Taylor Swift leaves country origins behind Student Writer Hannah Kloppenburg reviews Taylor Swift’s new album “1989” and discusses Swift’s shift away from country music as she develops as a musician.
Taylor Swift’s much-anticipated fifth album “1989” is a swirling conglomeration of various flavors of pop, much like a whirlwind tour through a famous musician’s closet. Celebrities almost never wear the same thing twice, and neither does “1989.” The album leaves Taylor’s country origins in the dust and instead falls solidly under the bubblegumpink umbrella of pop. Despite this, there’s still quite a bit of variance within each track. “Shake it Off,” the album’s most popular track and first single, is red lipstick and short shorts—confident, brassy, and fun. “Out of the Woods” is a beanie and cardigan combo—polaroid indie-pop that’s trying just a little too hard but is nevertheless enjoyable. By the end of the album, the driving beats have slowed into a chilled-out ebb and flow. “Clean,” the final track, is a gauzy, flowing turquoise dress, reminiscent of something found at an Enya concert (let’s be real, a glockenspiel is one of the main features of this track). Overall, “1989” is fun,
driving, and full of energy even when it’s not upbeat. Taylor’s transition to pop could have easily been a flop, but the mishmash of styles in “1989” is somehow cohesive and engaging. She cycles through a hodgepodge of outfits throughout the duration of the album, but it never feels like she’s wearing a costume. In response to questions about her writing process, Taylor replies: “It happens differently every time, and that’s why I’m so in love with songwriting.” Each song, written by Taylor herself, is a unique and honest expression, and underneath each and every one is that base layer that we’re so familiar with: a clean white undershirt, the essence of Taylor Swift. She’s grown in age, as a musician, and as a person, and as a result has started to wear unusual and myriad clothes, but that undershirt is always going to be a necessity for both her outfit and her music. That base essence is what keeps millions of fans coming back even after drastic stylistic changes. That’s not to say that the album starts off without a hitch. The entirety of “1989” is polished to a silken, processed sheen, but here and there one finds snags in the lining. The opening track “Welcome to New York” is like a tasteless
Olivia Blankenship / Collegian
Above: Attendees of the Tulsa Living Arts Dia de Los Muertos festival admire murals downtown celebrating the holiday. Below: Shrines to commemorate the dead were set up in Living Arts.
knock-off of a designer sequined minidress: a tired big-city theme with a faded glossy coating. Taylor’s ever-present theme of relationships is that pair of 6-yearold torn, black converses that she’s refused to get rid of despite her mother’s desperate pleas and has instead attempted to salvage with layers of duct tape. Overall, though, her transition to pop is refreshing and well put together. It’s liable to become the anthem of teen girls everywhere but still adaptable to more mature pop fans. “1989” won’t be the best fit for everyone, particularly those who adhere to the “all-pop-ismeaningless-and-not-worth-mytime” manifesto. That being said, a change in style is often a good thing, and several changes in style make for a fairly impressive and enjoyable pop album.
Courtesy taylorswift.com
Taylor Swift’s new album “1989” is a diverse collection of polished, mature songs.
I wish the audience had known about the Rocky Horror callback script Student Writer Hannah Kloppenburg attended the Guthrie Green’s Halloween showing of the “Rocky Horror Picture Show.” The show had potential, but didn’t live up to it. At 8 o’clock on Halloween night, Guthrie Green was packed with college students, adults and a sprinkling of hip teenagers. Excited chatter floated across the green. Clothing was an eclectic mix of out-of-the-box Halloween costumes (fishnets, top hats, a small dog dressed like a skeleton), and huddled layers of scarves and hats. “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” was about to begin. “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” is quite the unique experience. It’s a movie from the 1970s described as “musical comedy horror,” a delightful creepy and raunchy tribute to rock n’ roll,
B-list science fiction, and horror movies. The show, presented in Tulsa by Guthrie Green and the Circle Cinema, is a cult classic and Halloween tradition for many. I’d watched the movie a couple years ago in the comfort of my living room, and by the end of it I was equal parts weirded out, impressed and befuddled. I’d heard that live showings of the movie were an unparalleled experience, so I was eagerly anticipating the showing at Guthrie Green. In many cities, theaters will put on Halloween performances of “Rocky Horror” in which actors duplicate the movie as it plays on a screen behind them (as seen in “The Perks of Being a Wallflower”). My first disappointment came when my friends and I arrived and
realized that this particular showing of “Rocky Horror” was simply a projection on the screen with no actors. A bummer, but we still planned on enjoying ourselves, so we settled down on the green with several layers of clothing and blankets.
kids towards the front of the green who were calling out boisterous responses to the lines in the movie. They seemed to be reading off a script, and I wondered if that was part of the show’s protocol. Some post-event research confirmed my suspicions. There’s an
“Even though Guthrie Green’s ‘Rocky Horror Picture Show’ fell slightly flat, it had the potential to be a truly exciting event” The evening passed pleasantly but with very little excitement. One of the highlights of the show was a Rocky impersonator, clad only in shimmery gold booty shorts, who sprinted back and forth across the green during the scene in which Rocky first appears. The other was a group of enthusiastic
audience callback script on the official Rocky Horror fan website that’s meant to guide viewers through the Rocky Horror experience. The script involves audience participation such as snapping rubber gloves along with FrankN-Furter, blowing bubbles during the “wedding” scene, and yelling
raunchy responses to the characters onscreen. I was disappointed that I hadn’t thought to look it up beforehand. The experience would have been a lot more entertaining had I done so. Even though Guthrie Green’s “Rocky Horror Picture Show” fell slightly flat, it had the potential to be a truly exciting event. I would recommend that Guthrie Green and Circle Cinema push for a “Rocky Horror” experience similar to that of other cities, with actors bringing the movie to life. At the very least, it would make the show much more entertaining if they were to provide printouts of the callback guide, or encourage audience members to bring their own. A little more audience participation would go a long way in making a good event into a great one.
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3 November 2014
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“The War to End All Wars”: TU Theatre explores WWI’s contradictions
Photo Courtesy shmoop.com
Left: The reality of World War I in the British trenches. Right: American Navy recruitment propaganda.
Student Writer Sam Chott attended “The War to End All Wars,” a performance by the TU Department of Theatre and the Oklahoma Center for the Humanities. The performance examined the stark differences between World War I propaganda and the realities of war, while glossing over some of the racism and discrimination found in the war.
It began with songs and dancing. There was the vaudevilleesque “Over There,” by George M. Cohen, who was known as “the man who owned Broadway,” and “The Liberty Bell,” a John Philip Sousa march. Then, as it did so many times, it turned dark and serious. In that way, the “The War to End All Wars: From the Trenches to the Home Front,” mirrored its subject matter. World War I was an exercise in contrasts. Colorful posters and songs advertised the war effort, while soldiers and civilians died by the millions thanks to innovations in military technology. This year is the 100th anniversary of the beginning of the war, and this show, written and directed by Machele Miller Dill and Steven Marzolf, was the beginning of the
Center for the Humanities’ recognition of the war. The show was structured as a series of songs and readings, all contemporary to WWI. Its major theme was dissonance; every cheerful piece of propaganda was followed by an anti-war piece, or an actual account of the war by a soldier. Over the entire show, the cast read letters from a private to his mother, beginning with his apology for stealing fifteen cents to get to the enlistment center, and ending with the army sending a letter notifying her of his death. Despite this intentional emotional whiplash, it almost seemed that the show was reserved in the criticisms that it leveled. The lighting was actually red, white, and blue, and the piano was draped in an American flag, as a metaphor
for a coffin. However, no one was blamed for the death and misery caused by the war. There was no suggestion of who could have stopped the destruction, only that it would have been nice if someone would have. It seemed that the audience could have been educated on how to deal with modern warfare, but any modern relevance was crippled by a reluctance to take a stand. The show focused overwhelmingly on American viewpoints, an understandable decision given that it was only an hour long and the fact that we live in America. It did focus both on America and the front, giving a respectable amount of attention to those who had to wait at home, wondering when and if their loved ones would return. A surprising amount of time
Photo Courtesy Wikimedia Commons
was dedicated to the examination of how women felt about the war, which was a refreshing change from the typical focus of media focused on war. However, I left wishing that the show had branched out even further. At this point, it’s to be hoped that just about everyone understands that World War I was a pretty bad deal all around. At the reception after the show, there was an exhibit provided by Special Collections, including a selection of documents about the discrimination African-Americans faced in the war. I was also able to talk to an older gentleman about the discrimination that his German ancestors faced in America during the War; as he explained,
once the war started, they were no longer able to speak their native language in public. Unfortunately, these issues were left relatively untouched. Overall, the show was welldone, but slightly disappointing in what it chose to ignore. The next events in the WWI series by the Oklahoma Center for the Humanities are “The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse,” a screening of a 1921 film based on a novel about the war, on Nov. 10 at the Circle Cinema, and “The Fifth Horseman: A Vision of World War I,” the premiere of a docudrama about the author of “The Four Horsemen,” on Nov. 11 at the Lorton Performance Center.
Music reviews: a hot jazz band and a well groomed audience Student Writer Meagan Collins reviews TU musical performances from two perspectives. She reviews the TU Jazz Concert as an audience member, finding the concert sultry and appealing, if a little stiff. “Kill the Slacker and save the Layer” “Women! Help America’s sons win the war: Buy US Government Bonds” These headlines marked the WWI memorabilia strewn outside the Gussman Hall before the TU jazz band’s concert on Oct. 30 at 7:30 p.m. Pictures of propaganda and hardships were on easels and in glass cases. Memories from a different childhood brought an older crowd, but supportive younger friends also came to the show. It was an eerie and perhaps overly pedantic leftovers from a play to the jazz concert. Jazz Band II felt the pressure of the evening. While entirely correct and entertaining, they looked a bit stiff up there. That is, until the saxophone solos came out. Shane Sawyer-Jones started the solo run with confidence and then passed it to Alison May who blew the audience out the water. However, in “Triste” they were still nervous. It’s hard to play improv when you’re nervous, but they kept it together. “On a Clear day” almost lost momentum, but then came back with a kick of self-assuredness from the drummer, Ethan Rex, and sax solos. The guitar ensemble was an unexpected psychedelic treat. Songs by Herbie Hancock and Dizzy Gillespie like “Cantaloupe Island” and “A Night in Tunisia” left the audience reminiscing about hot summer evenings, and I mean h-
o-t. They were vibrant and lyrical, but had a certain swagger of chillness. At times it was the Paul, Brea, and Will Show as they were the only soloists out of the 8 piece ensemble. If there were others, they were drowned out or not mentioned. But it was a pleasant daze of good vibrations. Jazz Band I was more structured, but gave us the best. They weren’t afraid to get down and
voice; there wasn’t a bad seat in the house. I now have a thirst for her version of “Black Coffee” by Webster & Burke. Bobby Kitchen was the one who brought it back to the students with his squealin’ and growlin’ solo in “Quintessence.” When the song ended it was startling and disappointing, like a curtain abruptly being pulled over your eyes. It would have never ended if I had a say.
dirty into the music. Their intonation was spot on; on a recording it would have sounded like one person on each instrument. T.J. Smith’s trombone solo in “Switch in Time” started the Band I concert and everyone in the audience knew that this was only going to be a great start to a soloistic night. Billy Mayer taught the audience how an upright bass should really be played in his version of “This Bass was Made for Walkin’” by Thad Jones. Then Sarah Richardson stole the show. Her voice was a sultry mix between Adele and Duffy that made everyone starstruck. The entire theatre radiated with the
Sarah Richardson came back with “Come Together” by John Lennon. She coughed to clear her throat and her accompaniment, bassist Billy Mayer, coughed too for effect. Some audience members thought it would be an awkward song for her, but she made it her own, performing some of the tune a cappella with the bass. “Manteca” was a wild ride between the sax and trombone trading the limelight back and forth. Then the night ended on a cheerful note—“The Flintstones Theme.” When it was all through, they received two standing ovations.
“When the song ended, it was startling and disappointing, like a curtain abruptly being pulled over your eyes”
Collins then reviews the TU Symphony Orchestra audience as a musician. The audience may have been a bit overenthusiastic, but that only added to the excitement of the evening. The University of Tulsa Symphony Orchestra performed their first concert on Monday, Oct. 27, at 7:30 p.m. “Divertimento in D Major, K. 136,” “Nabucco,” “Ouvre Ton Coeur,” “Rodeo” and “Dance of the Comedians” were on the roster that night. The orchestra, including myself, played amazingly as usual, but that’s old news. We all know that the TU Orchestra is the best around, but what about its audience? Where is their acknowledgement from society? The audience is really what makes it all happen. They are the ones that fund, cheer on and criticize musicians and other artistic performers. This particular audience of family, friends and TU staff behaved very well for the concert. It was a proud night. No screaming baby monsters, interruptive business calls or late arrivers ruined the show. And they were especially liberal with the applause, for the right reasons. For an orchestra concert, it was a welcome surprise to see the house almost full. It made us feel like we might actually be good at this thing called music. Many were in the balcony, and the fullness of the orchestra level seating left none to be desired. Maybe we
should start charging them. The audience did chatter quite a bit before the performance, but that is a minor transgression; it left us feeling less like we were in a fish bowl and more like a normal rehearsal. Perhaps a bit overenthusiastic, but still well received, the audience clapped heartily between movements in the pieces. It’s a no-no in the music business, but what can I say? Orchestra people are suckers for applause. They really knew the cues to the show also. The trombone and trumpet solos in “Buckaroo Holiday” from “Rodeo” left the audience as well as the orchestra in a fit of giggles from its perfect balance of cheesiness and accuracy. In “Dance of the Comedians,” our exaggerated page turn was met with chuckles and a zealous “yay.” Like the respectable audience that they were, they were never the wiser when the cymbals accidentally fell to the floor. Artistic liberties are always the best. Overall, the audience made the start to the season exceptional. They were supportive and perhaps eager to a fault, but they certainly weren’t a ruckus. The final song was met with a standing ovation, and we actually bowed twice!
Commentary
the Collegian: 10
This week, two Collegian staffers take on two of American culture’s cornerstones: the pursuit of happiness and following dreams. Dreaming of the future can be dangerous because it doesn’t encourage immediate action, while vaguely pining after happiness only results in frustration.
WARNING: From Morgan Krueger
Stop dreaming already ...
Dreams are an integral part of our identity as Americans. We’ve all heard of the American Dream, after all. Dreams are beautiful. They’re fun. They allow us to design our future in a fantasy world. In a dream, we can shape our future exactly to our desires, no matter how improbable they may be. A dream is step one. Step two, is hard work. Lots, and lots of hard work. The problem is, a vast number of people stop after step one. They dream, but they make few efforts to translate that dream into reality. Shonda Rhimes, executive producer of “Grey’s Anatomy,” spoke on the subject at a Dartmouth commencement speech. “Dreams are lovely. But they are just dreams. Fleeting, ephemeral, pretty. But dreams do not come true just because you dream them. It’s hard work that makes things happen. It’s hard work that creates change.” The problem with dreams is they are set so firmly in the future, they often paralyze present action. The mind perceives time as split into the past, present and future. Dreams are filed away in the last category. They will always happen “later.” That isn’t how it should be.
Don’t wait around for a dream to suddenly become a reality. Seize hold of the future dream, and drag it into the present. Force the elusive “I will” to become “I am.” Seize it now. The present is all we have. The future never becomes the present. The present is the present. If you don’t act now, your vision will remain as far removed as the day you dreamt it up. So start now. “You want to be a writer? A writer is someone who writes every day, so start writing. You don’t have a job? Get one. Any job. Don’t sit at home waiting for the magical opportunity,” enthused Shonda Rhimes. The thought of achieving one’s dream now can be terrifying. When faced with the possibility of finally realizing their dream, many people shy away from the opportunity. In Paulo Coelho’s novel, “The Alchemist,” there is a crystal merchant who dreams of taking a pilgrimage to Mecca. This has been his dream for so long it has become a part of who he is. The dream is an integral part of his identity. The merchant fears fulfilling his dream. He is scared the pilgrimage will not live up to his expectations
and that after he fulfills his dream, he will have nothing to live for. These are two common fears. When a dream is built upon a pedestal one gazes at every day, the thought of reaching up, and seizing the dream, is terrifying. What if the prize isn’t as glorious as it looks from a distance? And then what? Now you have an empty pedestal and a gaping hole in your life where a fantasy once stood. The problem is not the dream itself. The problem arises when the dream becomes overblown. A dream should be a goal, something you haven’t accomplished yet but are working towards today. Don’t set it so far in the future it becomes unrealizable. Again, Shonda Rhimes nails it. “You know what I wanted to be? I wanted to be Nobel Prize-winning author Toni Morrison. That was my dream … Eventually I figured out that I could dream about being Toni Morrison. Or I could do it. Years later, I had dinner with Toni Morrison. All she wanted to talk about was ‘Grey’s Anatomy.’ That never would have happened if I hadn’t stopped dreaming of becoming her and gotten busy becoming myself.”
3 november 2014
... and forget about happiness, too!
Kyle Walker opines
As I was growing up in Albuquerque, it became a common experience to hear someone (myself included) say to a small clique of listeners: “I don’t want anything special. I just want to be happy.” Usually, there was an air of sophistication about this person, as though they’d stumbled on a major life secret and wanted to let everyone around them in on it. But what’s so special about this seeming discovery? Who wouldn’t want to be happy? Not just satisfied, joyful or excited, but happy in the long-term, general, and yes, philosophical sense. Capital-H Happy. Who wouldn’t go in for that? These are funny sounding questions. They sound funny because the accepted wisdom has it that everyone wants to be happy. This is part of what makes happiness happiness. Everybody wants it. Interestingly, nobody can give a reason for wanting it. Happiness is what Aristotle called a “final end,” a goal for the sake of which many other things are done (in the case of happiness, all other things), and which is never sought for the sake of something else. No one ever says, “I want to be happy because I want ice cream.” But there’s something else fishy about this philosophical sales pitch. What if we compare the desire for happiness to other desires, say for food, wealth or the well-being of loved ones? Usually, the fulfillment of a desire brings with it a kind of satisfaction that is distinct from the actual object of the desire. So when I take a swig out of a cold bottle of Augustinerbräu Edelstoff after a long day, I have a pleasant mental sensation that is distinct from the object of my desire, i.e. distinct from the beer itself. This seems obvious enough. But happiness seems not to fit this model. When my desire for happiness is fulfilled, what additional pleasant mental experience comes my way? Is there a kind of “second-order happiness” that proceeds from my initial desire for “first-order happiness”? If happiness is a final end, there should be no such hierarchy of happinesses. Happiness is happiness, period. The fishiness of the conven-
tional wisdom seems to lie in this smoke-and-mirrors show regarding desire: if there is no satisfaction attendant upon the fulfillment of my longing for happiness, then it isn’t really a desire in the same sense that my longing for a good light beer is a desire. Rather, it is a kind of unfulfillable hope. At least, unfulfillable by direct means. For happiness comes not from the pursuit of happiness, but from the pursuit of things valued in themselves.* Perhaps poetically, perhaps ironically, it is precisely these pursuits which open us up to a certain kind of suffering. Not the sort brought on by hunger, poverty or war (this sort is preventable and no one would choose it), but the sort of pain we feel when we lose loved ones or have our most powerful hopes dashed. This is a kind of pain we ought to feel, that we ought, almost, to desire. It means we’re invested. There’s an interesting extension of this problem. Even the more subtle advice “Do what makes you happy” falls into this trap: it subordinates your desire “to do” to your desire “to be,” yet you cannot be without first doing. There’s little value to cultivating a desire for happiness. That is the surest way to end up with few real desires and many fruitless frustrations. Now, to end on a mundane example: When dinner time rolls around, my roommate and I find it almost impossible to decide on a restaurant. We are cripplingly indecisive. Ultimately, we default to Guang Zhou or Elote and call it good. We find ourselves in this situation because we are without any concrete, specific desires. Sure, we want good food, nice atmosphere, etc. But we don’t have a specific sort of food, a specific restaurant in mind. We want “good food” the way we want “happiness”: in a totally vague, generic fashion. Yet happiness, like good food, doesn’t come to those who pursue it, but to those who value the things from which it flows—and a happy person, like a happy food critic, is often disappointed. *For more on this topic, see Joel Feinberg’s article on “Psychological Egoism.”
Major Misconceptions:
Graphic Design
Elias Brinkman / Collegian
Although dreams on pedestals aren’t unattainable, they seem far away, becoming a part of the imagination and not the present.
Wikipedia: research your research Although Wikipedia serves its purpose as an encyclopedia, student writer Sam Beckmann clarifies that it’s still not citable.
The first statement of Wikipedia’s essay on academic use is as follows: “Wikipedia is not considered a credible source.” Your professors have been telling you this for years. Yet, a study conducted by the journal “Nature” found, at least in articles pertaining to science, Wikipedia’s accuracy was comparable to that of “Encyclopedia Britannica.” So who’s to believe? Can you put “The Free Encyclopedia” down as your last source? Wikipedia is one of the most powerful research tools on the Internet, and with good reason. With the exception of the search engine, it is one of the most archetypal symbols of the Information Age. Want to know how a nuclear reactor works? Wikipedia. Want to find a complete list of the works of William Shakespeare? Wikipedia. What about the history of Maryland’s flag (and how it came to be that hideous[1])? Yep, Wikipedia has that too. Pretty much anything you could want to get an overview of, the free encyclopedia provides it directly at your fingertips. But don’t try and cite it in your next research paper. Although great for casual knowledge-gathering and initial
investigation, Wikipedia falls short of the standard necessary for citation in a formal research endeavor in a number of ways. First, the most glaringly obvious issue is Wikipedia is built upon user submissions. Theoretically, I could add some complete nonsense to an article right now and someone else could mistake it for fact. It may not be overly common considering the number of people who police new edits to prevent me from doing just that, but the fact alone that it is possible should clue you in to never reference this website in a paper.
clopedia, and an encyclopedia is nothing more than a convenience device to conglomerate facts and theories that are already published into an easily digestible format. Incredibly useful, but not worth citing on a paper. So what is it good for? Well, if you want to quickly learn about a topic and don’t care if there are a few minor inaccuracies in your knowledge, it can be an incredible resource. And if you’re writing that paper, by all means, gain a basic understanding of your topic though the website. Then, when it comes time to actually find specific
“An encyclopedia is nothing more than a convenience device to conglomerate facts and theories that are
already published into an easily digestible format” That’s not all though. Wikipedia is a constantly changing website, and the article on the City of London you looked at when writing your paper could bear little resemblance to the current article if someone were to look up the reference years later. Wikipedia has a solution for this, a permanent link to the page you viewed at the time you took that link, but this has the effect of retaining whatever errors were in the article at that time. Finally, Wikipedia is not an original source of information. It’s neither a primary source, nor does it make an argument or conduct its own research. Wikipedia is an ency-
facts or studies, I direct you to the references section at the bottom of each page. For the most part, these links lead to various books, journals or other scholarly works that are peer reviewed and suitable for citation. And if those sources are no good either, then you probably shouldn’t trust whatever it is that’s in that Wikipedia page. It may be the most convenient source since it’s the first Google result, but don’t trust everything you read on the Internet, and use common sense before you cite anything in your next paper. [1] Citation Needed
In this week’s “Major Misconceptions,” Graphics Editor Sarah Power explains the balance of talent and hard work necessary to major in graphic design.
In a world of instant communication, it is easy to forget that everything we look at is designed graphically, from the latest app available to download to the signs that direct traffic on the highway. We all benefit from graphic design, but we often take it for granted. As a graphic design major, I get to explore these possibilities, but most assume that I’m just doodling away for an easy A. Here are some common misconceptions about graphic design and the truth behind them: 1. Graphic design is not an easy A. After completing your artwork, there is often required reading and events to attend outside of class. Most people assume that because I use a computer to create something, the software does all the “work.” But it requires knowledge of the software and how to use it best with memorized commands and actions. If you don’t have these down, it will show through in class and in your artwork, resulting in a poor grade. Attendance is also taken very seriously, and students that are absent more than four classes will lose a letter grade despite their performance. 2. If you are in graphic design, you are usually not in it for the money. It is a subject you have to love. Graphic design does offer a variety of work options, from leading creative projects at an advertis-
ing firm to working from your own home. Majoring in graphic design does not mean you have to have the job title g”raphic designer,” either. Some go on to work in film or advertising, or go to graduate school for art history or animation. The possibilities are endless. 3. Some jobs or assignments will bore you, but the fun you can have with it makes up for it. If you are designing a menu for a new restaurant you get to try the food, or if you are creating the cover of an album for a band, you get to experience the concert. By working in graphic design, you get to try so many things about different fields of work. 4. Graphic design is a collaborative process by nature. You learn how to work with people in a group, and how to make a client think the design is his or her idea. Clients are often difficult to please because they have their own opinions, but if you work with them extensively from beginning to end, they will better understand your artistic choices and reasoning. 5. It takes more than talent. Talented students often excel, but no matter what your skill level is, you must put the effort into it. This is required for classes outside of graphic design as well, such as drawing or digital media. You have to want it. Yes, graphic design is different than most majors. But it is not easy, or all fun. It requires practice, experience and love to create something truly beautiful. But if you learn how to use it, you can do great things.
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the Collegian: 11
Graphic by Madeline Woods
Could the United States afford free higher education? Public universities in some other countries have stopped charging tuition, and the United States could afford to do so as well based on the rates of return on its current investments in higher education. Recently, Germany rendered all of its public universities free of tuition. That action raises a question in the United States: should higher education be free of charge? According to the New America Foundation, the federal government spent a whole $69 billion in 2013 on its hodgepodge of financial aid programs, such as Pell Grants for low-income students, tax breaks and work study funding. And that doesn’t even include loans. Yet, the Department of Education indicates that total tuition collected across the United States for all public universities amounted to $62.6 billion dollars. The initiative will allow more people to attend college without having to worry about a complex financial aid system, increasing the number of college attendees. From initial observation, it appears that making all public universities and colleges free will increase the number of college attendees and thereby graduates. Making all public higher education free, however, does hurt the financial aid given to students attending private colleges and universities. According to U.S. News, 16 percent of American students attend private nonprofit colleges and universities. In Germany, less than five percent of students attend private (including both for-profit and nonprofit) colleges and universities. That’s because, in Germany, the public institutions have more prestige than the private universities; meanwhile, in the United States, the opposite is true. By reducing the aid given to students attending private institutions, we’re harming students who wish to attend (generally, as is not always the case) more prestigious institutions. So, what’s one way of solving that problem? One way is to make public institutions more prestigious than private ones, like they are in Germany. The German public universities have become extremely competitive with regards to funding. An example of that competition is the Excellence Initiative, which is exactly that: a competition. The federal government gave the universities
that won the competition extra money to improve research initiatives and gain recognition on the international scale. Increasing the competition of public universities for federal funding can significantly bolster their standards, which will in turn encourage more students to attend public universities. Additionally, students who didn’t previously attend college because of cost (or perceived cost) would now attend college, adding an even greater price burden. So can we afford the new influx of students? To answer that question, look at the reasons that students don’t attend college. Cost is a major one, in addition to navigating the extremely complex financial aid system. Another major barrier between poor families and four-year colleges is test scores. Students from poor families do significantly worse on standardized tests (see chart). NPR reports, though, that “There’s substantial evidence that low-income students are less likely to even aspire to college because they think it’s too expensive. It affects things like their choice of math classes as early as sixth grade.” A potential explanation for the discrepancy of SAT scores between affluent and poor students is that, since the poorer students don’t believe that they can afford college, they don’t have as high standards for what they can achieve, and give up early. That would make sense, but NPR also points to research done by the Economic Policy Institute that found that the success rate in college for the lowest-achieving but highest-income students is slightly better than the success rate for the highest-achieving, lowestincome students. So it would seem that college completion rate is far more heavily linked to family income than it is to achievement levels, implying that cost is the greatest prohibiting factor in whether or not someone attends college. The obvious step is to ensure that high-achieving students are more likely to attend college and reduce their burden by increasing the amount of money that we give them at public universities. However, we cannot give scholarships only to the most qualified below a certain income threshold: previous models that gave money to the most qualified students resulted in a racial and income gap between students, largely due to middle class white students being the most qualified and receiving the money, still excluding high-
achieving poor students. Rather, we need to ensure that everyone who meets the minimum threshold receives a full college education at a public university for free, incentivizing students to achieve without having to worry about price.
higher academic achievement are more likely to continue to college and succeed there, ultimately repaying the government. One way that we can increase the academic achievement of students holistically is by increasing fiscal and
“College completion rate is far more heavily linked to family income than it is to achievement levels”
But that’s not the whole story. The benefit/cost ratio—which is $6 for every dollar spent on college, by some estimates, for the GI Bill that gave veterans significantly discounted college (among other benefits) after World War II—is directly linked to the percentage of students who graduate from college, as they, on average, go on to earn more money in their lifetime and pay more income tax, culminating in repaying their own college cost to the federal government and then some. Therefore, perhaps the most important factor in ensuring that the federal government makes its money back is the graduation rate of colleges it funds. Students with
social emphasis on early childhood programs. The White House highlights the importance of these programs in this quote from their website, whitehouse.gov: “Expanding access to high quality early childhood education is among the smartest investments that we can make. Research has shown that the early years in a child’s life—when the human brain is forming—represent a critically important window of opportunity to develop a child’s full potential and shape key academic, social, and cognitive skills that determine a child’s success in school and in life. Participation in high-quality early learning programs—like
Head Start, public and private preK, and childcare—will provide children from all backgrounds with a strong start and a foundation for school success. These programs also generate a significant return on investment for society; numerous economic studies have documented a rate of return of $7 or more on each dollar invested through a reduced need for spending on other services, such as remedial education, grade repetition, and special education, as well as increased productivity and earnings for these children as adults.” With a rate of return of $7 or more on early childhood programs, they seem like an extremely logical choice in which to invest money. As they also increase academic achievement and reduce achievement gaps, they will most likely also increase college attendance, with a rate of return of 6 or so dollars. Ultimately, I believe that the federal government should focus on emphasizing early childhood programs first and then focus on giving free college tuition to all students below a certain income level who meet a certain achievement level.
SAT Test Scores vs. Family Income
Courtesy Matt Bruenig
Family income and SAT scores are positively correlated, indicating that children from low-income families aren’t likely to score well.
Policy-making requires voting along party lines Senators tend to vote along party lines no matter how much they say they represent locals, so voters on Tuesday should choose candidates based on party.
Tuesday is election day. While there are many races on the ballot across the country, the U.S. Senate elections are getting the most attention from the national media. A major reason is that the Republicans might win a majority in the Senate. This is in part because only a third of Senators are up for reelection at any one time. Many of those running are Democrats in red or purple states in a year in which President Obama and his policies are not enjoying high approval ratings. As such, many of the Democrats are distancing themselves from the president and more progressive policies. Were the president to be a Republican and the GOP running the risk of losing several blue state
Senate seats, one would likely see many Republican senators distancing themselves from the president and more conservative policies. In both cases, senators might try to show how they disagree with their respective national parties over important local issues or even how they’ll stand as a maverick against the party. In both cases, whichever parties are making the claim, voters should not be fooled. It’s often remarked that we live in an era of party polarization. The two parties are very different from one another. Take as an example the Affordable Care Act, one of the most polarizing pieces of legislation in recent memory. It passed in the Senate along a straight party vote. Real Clear Politics lists eight Senate elections as being in a tossup. Five of these are in purple or even red states in which the Democrat voted for the Affordable Care Act. States like Louisiana, which hasn’t voted Democrat in a presidential election since 1996, and Alaska, which hasn’t voted
Nate Beckemeyer comments
for a Democratic president in fifty years, are among these states that currently have Senators who voted for the Affordable Care Act on the ballot. It should not be a toss-up in such red states. Compare this to Maine, otherwise solidly blue, that had two
Candidates of both parties often like to describe themselves as being an independent voice for their state who fights for local issues. This is not the way the Senate works in reality, though. Any single senator makes up exactly one percent of that body. Every-
Republican senators when the Affordable Care Act was up for a vote. Even these two, often cited as the most “liberal” of the Republican Party, voted against the legislation. When it comes to close votes, legislators feel pressure to follow the party line, making party membership a reliable indicator of the final vote.
thing that gets done has to be done in electoral coalitions. The two parties make up the clearest coalitions. The Senate is made up of various committees. Both the chairmanship and members of these committees are chosen by party leadership. The leader of the majority party is able to block votes
“Candidates of both parties often like to describe themselves as being an independent voice for their state who fights for local issues. This is not the way the Senate works in reality”
Brennen VanderVeen comments
on amendments and new legislation. Things are done in the Senate through the facilitation of at least one of the major parties. If a senator doesn’t go along, the most he or she can do is complain since party leadership doesn’t even have to hold a vote on his or her bills. Even if a candidate is an “independent,” he or she will ultimately have to choose one of the major parties with which to caucus. None of this is to say that individual politicians don’t matter at all. It’s just that party membership also matters, especially in a legislative body, in a way that American individualistic political culture is uncomfortable to admit. In the general election, except in peculiar instances, the choice will really be more between Democratic or Republican control of Congress, rather than the two individual candidates themselves. This leaves primaries as the appropriate time to focus on which candidate will best represent you—provided that you realize they’ll represent you through a political party.
the Collegian: 12
3 november 2014
Some of TU’s more interesting digs
from Off-campus properties, cover swath of undeveloped land near the Owasso wastewater treatment facility to individual houses in several Tulsa neighborhoods, including those near the university and others scattered throughout the greater Tulsa area. The Tulsa County Assessor’s office lists a grand total market value of nearly $11.5 million for off-campus properties owned by the university. Taxes paid on those properties in fiscal year 2013 totaled $24,442. The total acreage between all 74 lots listed is 352.16 acres. Notable properties include Skelly Mansion, or the President’s Residence. It was in the possession of the university from 1957 until 1959 as a gift from the Skelly family, sold, and then reacquired by TU in July 2012 from the Ducato family. The residence has a market value of $2.25 million. TU paid no taxes on the property last year. According to TU’s website, “Skelly Mansion serves as a welcoming space for meeting and entertaining university guests, administrators and faculty on the ground floor while offering private quarters upstairs for the TU president and family.” However, Mona Chamberlin, TU’s Director of Marketing and Public Relations, said that “President Upham does not live there.” Another set of three plots owned by the university were deeded to TU by the Hardesty family in July 2008 in a $649,000 parcel sale. They are located at the intersection of S Wheeling Ave. and E 11th St. Warehouses on these properties appear to be in use but the Collegian was unable to uncover more details. The Henneke building at 1204 E Harvard Ave. was acquired by TU in 2003 for $800,000. It now has a market value of $821,700 and $9,044 in taxes were paid on it last year. The building is a multi-use facility that predominantly services computer science department researchers.
Undeveloped land owned by the university includes 162.6 acres worth $28,080 near the Owasso wastewater treatment facility, and another 88.1 acres nearby worth $12,090. The land is close to Mohawk Park and the Tulsa Zoo. TU owns a mobile home park spanning 28.25 acres in Turley, north of Tulsa. It has a listed market value of $23,200 and is in “very poor” condition, according to information found on the Tulsa County Assessor’s website. The four buildings owned in the Kendall Whittier area that are slated to be replaced with the proposed building on E 6th St. and S Columbia Ave. from the “6th Street Concept Plan” have a combined market value of $717,700 and are in either fair or average condition. The large stretch of empty lots along Harvard Avenue between 4th and 11th Street is also owned by TU. The total fair market value of these plots is just over $700,000. Properties that are owned and in current use by the university include the North Campus facilities used for petroleum, mechanical and chemical engineering research. TU owns a plot of 20 acres of undeveloped land across from North Campus that is listed as having a market value of $100. The university bookstore is now located on E 11th St. and S Harvard Ave. in a building deeded to TU in April 2014 by Massad Route 66 Studio for $1,795,000. Fair market value for the property is listed on the Assessor’s website as $600,100 and it has a given condition of “average.” Executive staff of the university president’s office manage the offcampus holdings, where “the acquisition and disposition of property is handled on a case-by-case basis,” according to Chamberlin. University Relations told the Collegian that “the University of Tulsa owns property that is of use physically and strategically to the mission of our organization.”
The University of Tulsa owns quite a lot of real estate in off-campus locations. This page shows just a few of them. From the top: Skelly Mansion, which holds living quarters for the president (which he does not actually occupy), as well as meeting and entertainment spaces. Top middle: 2618 E 6th Street, a multi-unit residential building acquired by TU in July 2014. Bottom middle: One of three unmarked warehouse-like buildings deeded to TU by the Hardesty family. Bottom: The Henneke building, which provides space for computer science research, was purchased by TU in 2003.
Top photo taken by Sara Douglas, all others by Sam Beckmann.
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Class Starts January 12th Register at: historychannel.ou.edu
3 november 2014
the
The State-Run Media
State-Run media It’s about “ethics” in gaming “journalism.”
Freshman petroleum engineering major has harder life than you The University of Tulsa is known for its strong engineering programs. As the first semester is winding down, the State-Run Media sat down with blossoming engineering student Liam Petrov in hopes of conveying to the entire world how difficult his major is. Nikki Hager
Political Science Major Freshman Petroleum engineer Liam Petrov always knew that engineering was for him. “Ever since I saw the starting salary, I knew I just had to be a Petroleum Engineer. I mean if it weren’t for me, how would oil companies make obscene yearly profits? My job is going to be incredibly important,” said Petrov. Petrov said the course work is excruciating. “Well, it’s my first semester here and I knew that I had to make the most out of college,” Petrov said. “But with classes like Intro into Engineering and Calc 1, I’ve only been able to drink about three to four nights a week.
My grades aren’t super great, but I mean I have three and a half years to make up for them.” With a little bribery and blackmail, the State-Run Media managed to secure Petrov’s grades. He currently has C’s in Intro to Engineering and Geology, a D in calculus and is failing Exposition and Argumentation and Governing Ideas in America. “What I really don’t understand, is those liberal arts majors,” said
don’t think so.” “The dude that lives across the hall from me is a Sociology major and he keeps trying to tell me that he ‘wants to have a better understanding of how the world works’ and to try to ‘be the best person he can be’” Petrov said, “And I’m like dude, money is how the world works and the best people have money.” Unfortunately Petrov had to cut the interview short because he
“With a little bribery and blackmail, the StateRun Media managed to secure Petrov’s grades” Petrov. “Their majors are so easy. Weekly math quizzes and assignments are significantly more difficult than writing clear, concise, well-thought-out essays. And so what if they have a little bit of reading. Come on, like what is reading Aristotle or Henry David Thorough going to teach you about life?” “I have no idea what someone even does with majors like Political Science, Philosophy or Sociology. Are they going to make six figures right after graduation? I
needed to start studying for his 8 a.m. engineering test the next day. He had been unable to start sooner because he blacked out over the weekend and then was too hungover to study and binge-watched Netflix instead. He said that if he did not pass his test, his parents were threatening to make him change his major. A source that requests to remain unnamed informed the State-Run Media that Petrov failed the test. He has since changed his major to Business Management.
Destruction of Ten Commandments monument changes nothing This week, the State-Run Media reveals the shocking truth behind the Ten Commandments statue at the Capitol Building. Fraser Kastner Doomsday Prepper
Sources confirmed Wednesday that, despite predictions to the contrary, the State of Oklahoma has been more or less unaffected by the absence of the Ten Commandments in front of the Capitol Building. When an out-of-control driver knocked the statue down, many believed that the missing moral compass would have a direct affect on Oklahoma life. However, little change has actually occurred. “I’m as surprised as anyone,” said Jeb Bradley, a Republican state congress member. “I always
thought that as soon as you removed the Ten Commandments, God would rain fiery hailstones down upon the state and the sun would rapidly expand to encircle the earth in cleansing fire.”
would become a perfect secular society with flying cars and public health care.” “I’ve been hoping for this for years,” remarked a member of the Satanic Church who asked to
“Now what am I going to do with all these animals?”
Graphic by Elias Brinkman
The life of a professional petroleum engineer, as imagined by Liam Petrov.
“Personally, I was banking on floods,” said fellow congressman Eli Brooks. “I built an Ark in my backyard in case this exact thing happened. Now what am I going to do with all these animals?” Those on the other side of the political spectrum were surprised as well. “I’m quite disappointed, really,” said Abigail Gains, a secular activist. “I thought that as soon as the Ten Commandments fell we
be identified as Lormaloz the Destroyer. “I thought the earth would split open and an army of screaming skeletons would march on the Capitol. Boy am I disappointed.” “It’s like statues don’t really have any power over the real world,” said a pensive Brooks. “Maybe statues don’t do anything. Maybe they just mean stuff.” Congress is currently planning on formulating a plan to deal with this urgent non-issue.
Some new ideas for the Ten Commandments After a local man ran his car into the Ten Commandments statue in front of the Capitol Building, the State-Run Media took the opportunity to suggest some changes. Glen Soft
Revisionist Biblical Scholar
Graphic by Elias Brinkman
An artist’s rendition of the proposed new Ten Commandments in front of the “Oklahoma” Capitol Building.
On Oct. 23, a local drove his car into the Ten Commandments statue on Oklahoma City’s Capitol Hill, destroying the highly controversial statue. When reached for comment on his actions, the local responded, “Actually, it’s about ethics in video game journalism.” At any rate, now that the original Ten Commandments are gone, Oklahoma is tasked with writing a new set of commandments that are truly its own. Below are the StateRun Media’s recommendations: 1. Thou shalt make friends in low places. 2. Thou shalt not cut the budget of any item benefiting the citizens, unless that item be education,
public transportation, better care for the poor or public health care. 3. Thou shalt try out for Football or Cheer. 4. Thou shalt not accept medicaid expansion. 5. Thou shalt not fall asleep in thine treestand whilst hunting. 6. Thou shalt take comfort in the knowledge that thou dost not live in Texas. 7. Thou shalt not consume turkey “bacon,” turkey “sausage,” or any other such abomination masquerading as God-given red meat. 8. Thou shalt run down any animal that darts into the road in front of thee. 9. Thou shalt consume gratuitous amounts of whatever cheap 3 point beer is available. 10. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s tractor. We here at the State-Run Media hope that this will give Oklahoma a few ideas for the inevitable reconstruction of the Ten Commandments, as well as a more honest appraisal of Oklahoma values.